Living in a Shadow
by Aikan-4242564
Summary: Yuuta and Ryoma find out that they have more in common than they ever would have imagined. [Yuuta and Ryoma Friendship]
1. Fuji Yuuta, Echizen Ryoma and Anger

Living in a Shadow

Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis

Summary: Ryoma and Yuuta find out that they have more in common than they would ever have imagined. [Ryoma and Yuuta friendship

* * *

Chapter one:

Part one. Fuji Yuuta

It was 2:45 am. Fuji Yuuta sat by his window sill, unable to sleep. The soft moonlight illuminated through the dark room, lightly playing on the boy's cheek, only revealing half of his face. The other half was hidden in the shadows.

He hated Shadows. They reminded him of his love, and hatred towards his brother. They reminded him of the endless hours of training, and how those hours seemed to shatter into nothing whenever he saw his brother play tennis.

They reminded him of how he was desperately chasing after Shusuke. It was as if he was running, but he was never moving any closer to him. He was living in his Brother's shadow.

Yuuta looked out his window, catching his reflection. His eyes gazed sadly back at him. He felt alone, even though his sister and brother were sleeping in the same house as him. His feelings were ripping him apart from the inside.

Everyone else thought it was just a case of sibling rivalry, but it was more than that. A constant battle was going on in his mind, between love and hate. He no longer hated his brother as he had before but he knew he could never love him properly.

He was confused. He was broken.

His eyes wondered to a picture frame, laying face down on the desk. He knew every minor detail of that photo, even without looking at it. It was taken when he was much younger, around six. His brother was a year older than him. It was when he had won his first school running race and Shusuke was proudly ruffling his hair.

It was on his desk ever since the photo had been developed, and had been laying face down for many months.

He buried his head in his hands, and shut his eyes. Yuuta felt tears prickling at the back of his eyes.

He stood up quickly, and then got dressed, careful not to make any sound. He slung his tennis bag over his shoulders then made his way down the stairs to the entrance.

As he was tying his shoelaces a quiet voice softly murmured his name. "Yuuta…"

"I'm going out" Yuuta said gruffly, not turning around.

"But it's so late"

He could hear the concern in his brother's voice but he ignored it and stood up.

Shusuke put his hand on Yuuta's shoulder. "You shouldn't be out this late. It's not safe…I'll go with you"

Yuuta hit his hand away. "Leave me alone. I don't need you"

He turned to see Shusuke blink in hurt. He looked as if he had just been slapped across the cheek. "Yuuta…" he choked.

Guilt clawed at his whole body. He tried to shrug it off and stormed out of the house.

* * *

Part two. Echizen Ryoma

Ryoma sat upright on his bed in the growing darkness. His fingers gently stroked Karupin, who was purring softly on his lap. His face was as calm as ever, but inside he was aching.

In his other hand he was clutching a newspaper article, 'Samurai Nanjiroh's Son wins junior tournament'.

Nanjiroh's son. The second Samurai. Junior Nanjiroh. That was all he had been hearing all his life. Before he had come to Seigaku, no one would address him as Ryoma.

He remembered walking onto the tennis court in a tournament, and all he could hear was: 'Look! Isnt he the son of Samurai Nanjiroh?'

It hurt. It hurt to be living in his father's shadow.

At least he was good at hiding them. His emotions. He didn't need to for a long time, because when he became a regular at Seigaku, he was known as Ryoma Echizen, the 7th year regular.

He had finally thought that he had been accepted as himself. He was able to enjoy playing in tournaments again. So he had thought that he should attend a junior one in the U.S, but he was mistaken.

He had not been accepted. Just as soon as he had gotten off the airplane, crowds were cheering for him.

But not for him. They were cheering for the 'second' samurai. He had come back to Japan a week ago. But the pain wouldn't stop echoing in his chest, in his head.

Ryoma stared blankly at the article in his hand. It wasn't fair. He loved tennis just as much as his father. His father was an old perverted jerk and he was decent. So why couldn't he surpass him?

Karupin suddenly hissed and Ryoma realized that he was gripping into the cat's fur. He made soothing noises and tried to cuddle with it, but it squirmed out of his arms and pawed out of the room.

He sighed in frustration and climbed out of his bed. He got dressed sullenly and picked up his tennis bag. As he slowly walked into the living room he grabbed his hat off the coat-rack and scowled as he turned to see his dad asleep on the couch with a porno magazine on his chest. To increase his anger Karupin was lying peacefully on his stomach.

How could his father be so good at tennis when he wasn't even a good father?

He was a bad influence, always reading rude magazines and never helping (or caring) with his school work. The only thing he did to help with his tennis practice was to beat him mercilessly in every match.

He looked away, a scowl still plastered onto his face. He slipped into his shoes and closed the door behind him.

* * *

Part three. Anger

Yuuta slammed the ball into the wall. As it bounced back, he hit it with so much strength that the ball drilled into the wall and stayed there.

He cursed and began to gently pry it out. He knew it wasn't good to put your anger into tennis, but he could help it.

He couldn't release all of his anger into his brother. He loved him too much for that.

But he could still release a fraction of it. He hated him enough for that.

He had no choice. If he didn't channel his feelings into something, it would have destroyed his mind ages ago.

* * *

Ryoma walked into the empty park and placed his tennis bag on a nearby bench. Then he carefully unzipped it, taking out his racquet and a ball. He stared at it.

He remembered his first tennis racquet. His father had gone with him to choose it. He remembered coming out of the shop clutching a large bag with one small arm, gripping his dad's sleeve with his other arm and grinning his face off.

But that was the last time his father had brought him out to buy anything tennis related.

After he turned nine, his father abruptly stopped training him and got him another coach.

He was heavily disappointed at that. Then he was motivated to work hard, so he could surpass his oyaji.

But even after years of heavy training, it didn't look like that day was coming any time soon.

In his frustration Ryoma served the ball as hard as he could. It bounced against the wall and shot back at him. It was so quick that it swerved through his swing and hit his tennis racquet. His racquet flew out of his hand and smashed against the bench, narrowly missing his tennis bag.

He swiftly picked it up and inspected it, it was covered in cracks and didn't look like it was going to last very soon. He swore loudly and threw it down on to the bench.

* * *

Yuuta heard someone shout a swearword and a loud clank. "What the heck…" he whispered under his breath.

He cleared his throat. "Who's there?" he asked.

He peered around the wall the same the other person did. He found himself staring into a familiar face.

"You!" they both yelled at the same time.

* * *

Chapter one finished. What do you think? Review please. PLEASE

G0.0dbye-days


	2. Reasons, Realizing and Conversation

Living in a Shadow

Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis.

Summary: Ryoma and Yuuta find out that they have more in common then they would ever have imagined. [Ryoma and Yuuta friendship

* * *

Chapter two:

Part four. Reasons

The two boys sat on a park bench, in silence. The only sign of movement between them was a street lamp, flickering uncertainly above them.

The sky, Yuuta noticed, was dotted with hundreds of beautiful stars. Strangely enough, from his room he could only see the moon.

It was a perfect night sky from here. The bright, radiant, full moon was sitting in the middle of a peaceful blue-black sky and the stars were in all the exact right places.

'As if,' Yuuta pondered over the subject for a few seconds. 'They were planned to be like that'

The air was silent, yet comforting. Not a single sound dared to interrupt the pleasant atmosphere, which they both were enjoying.

But it was much colder outside then he had thought. A sudden breeze brushed gently passed them and he shivered.

The breeze was delicate and gentle, and if he could see it, he was sure that it would be beautiful, but it was also very, very cold. He could almost feel the cold cut into his skin.

'_Exactly like your relationship with Shusuke' _somewhere inside his head, a cruel sly voice taunted him.

He clenched his fist so hard that he felt his own nails digging into his palm.

Why wouldn't the feeling leave him alone? The feeling of uncontrollable rage and fury that enveloped him every time he heard anything about his brother.

Why was it always about Shusuke? Why was it never about him?

He loved tennis. It was his life. He trained for long hours, every single day; He even had a stupid schedule! He woke up 4am every morning just to practice swinging his racquet! That was almost twice as must as training time than his aniki. He probably had much more will power than him. He probably had much more learning potential then him. He probably even loved tennis more than him!

So why couldn't he surpass Shusuke?

But he knew, deep, down inside of him that he had already found the answer to the question that he had constantly been asking himself.

Fuji Shusuke was a true genius. He was a prodigy. And Fuji Yuuta was not. He was just a mere shadow compared to him. He was just a reflection. He was nothing.

"It's not fair…" he muttered miserably.

"Did you say something?" the smaller boy asked.

"No"

Ryoma took a sip of his warm can drink. Yuuta glanced at it longingly.

He noticed this and leaned away from him. Yuuta 'Hn' ed and crossed his arms.

"Buy your own!"

"I didn't bring money"

Ryoma took this time to carefully study him. Yuuta was looking directly at him, with a typical scowling expression on his face, but a flash of…Hurt? Anger? Reflected in his eyes.

"Hey" Ryoma said flatly.

"What?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you that"

"Well I asked first!"

A vein popped in Yuuta's forehead. 'Cocky brat…'

"I couldn't sleep" he replied.

"Me neither"

"…You're Ryoma Echizen right?" Yuuta asked lamely.

"And you're Fuji's little brother"

"SHUT UP!" Yuuta barked in outrage.

* * *

Part five. Realizing

Ryoma blinked.

Then a pang of guilt slapped him. He was doing the exact same thing. He was doing the exact same thing that everyone else had done to him.

He realized, that all this time, Yuuta must have been going through the same thing that he was.

Feeling the same hurt that he was.

Feeling the same bitter, cold that he was.

Living the same life as he was.

A dark, lonely, hopeless life, in a cruel world.

Like himself, Fuji Yuuta was living his life in a shadow.

Ryoma cleared his throat nervously. His heart started to beat unusually fast.

He wasn't alone. He wasn't the only person that had the same rage, or hurt, He wasn't the only one who was kept awake every night with his throbbing emotions.

He suddenly wished that he wasn't alone. Because he knew that this feeling could easily tear someone apart.

"I'm sorry… Yuuta-senpai"

Yuuta looked at him in surprise. "What did you call me?"

"Yuuta-senpai" Ryoma repeated. "I'm sorry"

"Oh…Well me too" His voice softened and he managed a weak smile. "I just…You know, don't like it when people call me that. Because…well, it's complicated. You probably won't understand my…situation"

"You're wrong senpai" Ryoma said quietly. "I do understand"

"I wonder" Yuuta relaxed against the bench and looked up at the sky.

Ryoma bit his lip. This was his chance, to tell someone about his feelings. To finally let them out. But how could he talk to Yuuta? He barely even knows him! But then again, he was probably someone who would understand him. The _only_ someone who could truly understand his feelings.

"What are you staring at?" Yuuta asked.

"…Nothing" Ryoma choked out.

He glanced concerned at his kouhai. For a moment he thought he saw a different person than the usual cocky, arrogant, prodigy that could piss almost everyone off. For a moment he looked almost…weak.

'_Just like me'_ he thought bitterly.

* * *

Part 6. Hopeless Conversation

He searched his mind for something suitable to say. He recalled that his brother had said something about Ryoma's family…

"Uh…So do you have any siblings?" he tried.

Ryoma thought for a moment. "Yes, and No"

Yuuta raised his eyebrows. '_Damn he's hard to understand.'_

"…How about your parents?"

"Do my parents have siblings?"

"No, I mean, what sort of people are they?"

Ryoma looked at him suspiciously. "Why do _you _want to know?"

"I'm just _trying_ to make conversation"

"…Fine. My mom doesn't work. She normally stays at home with my cousin…My dad's…"

"What?"

"Are you sure you want me to tell you the truth?"

"Well, YEAH. Why would I want to hear a lie?"

"Ok then" Ryoma took a deep breath. "My dad's an Old perverted idiotic uncaring stubborn annoying asshole JERK. Did I say he was a pervert?"

Yuuta blinked. "Oh. Kay…"

"Next subject." He announced.

"Huh?"

"I don't want to talk about me"

"Well I don't want to talk about me either"

Another silence fell on them. Yuuta fiddled nervously with the strap on his bag.

"…Why don't we just play wall tennis or something?" Yuuta suggested helplessly. "…This conversation isnt getting anywhere"

"Look at my racquet" Ryoma dumped his bag on his Senpai's lap.

He raised an eyebrow and he proceeded to unzip the bag, then he pulled out the racquet.

"What did you do to it?"

"…" he didn't get a very good response.

"Whatever…" Yuuta mumbled. He was about to close the bag but he spotted something unusual stuffed inside. "What's this?"

He took out a crumpled newspaper and began to smooth it out.

* * *

End of Chapter two. Will update soon. Thanks to everyone who reviewed!

Please give me feedback on this chapter. : ) And maybe I'll update quicker… Hint

G0.0dbye-days


	3. Understandings, Arguments

Living in a Shadow

Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis.

Summary: Ryoma and Yuuta find out that they have more in common then they would ever have imagined. [Ryoma and Yuuta friendship

Note: SO SORRY I DIDNT UPDATE FOR SO LONG! And sorry this chapter is so short! I'm halfway through the next one (which is the last one.) But hope you enjoy it :) I'll update for SURE in a few days. Review please. And also if you see any mistakes or grammar stuff then correct me... :)

* * *

Chapter Three: 

Part Six. Bitter Understandings

Ryoma bit his lip and sighed. 'Confession time.'

As Yuuta's eyes thoughtfully scanned the half-crumpled newspaper in his hands, Ryoma twisted nervously in his seat and glanced up anxiously at his senpai.

Ryoma tried to read his expression but with no avail. Yuuta read the newspaper with extreme calmness plastered onto his face.

'Almost,' Ryoma noted. 'As calmly as his brother might have read it.'

Waves of disappointment washed over the younger boy.

Had Yuuta not noticed the hints? Had he not realized that Ryoma was exactly like him?

A few seconds later Yuuta carefully folded the newspaper into a neat square and handed it back to him. Ryoma scowled and ripped it up in frustration.

Yuuta watched as the small pieces of paper floated in the air and slowly tumbled down onto the dirty ground. And quite suddenly realization dawned on him. Shusuke had once told him that Ryoma's father was once a very famous pro-tennis player that had been nicknamed 'Samurai Nanjiroh'.

In the newspaper article he remembered the name 'Ryoma Echizen' being mentioned only once. The rest of the names were always shadowing Nanjiroh Echizen.

He glanced over at his kouhai and studied his hopeful features. He took a deep breath.

* * *

Part seven. Meaningless Arguments

"…I'm not guessing anything." Yuuta said firmly. Then he smiled and put his hand on Ryoma's shoulder. "Tell me yourself."

Ryoma's mouth fell open in surprise but he quickly closed it.

"No!" He muttered in annoyance. "I don't want to!"

"Well I'm not doing anything." Yuuta frowned back.

"I wasn't ASKING for anything!" Ryoma retorted.

"Yes you were…"

"No!"

"Stop being so stubborn!"

"You stop!"

They both glared out each other. A sudden smile broke out on Yuuta's face. He started laughing out loud. Ryoma couldn't help himself. Their laughter cut through the peaceful atmosphere and the cold air.

After a while laughter were reduced to small chuckles.

"I noticed FIRST." Ryoma said grinning.

"That doesn't change anything. I'm still OLDER than you!"

Ryoma 'hn'ed and crossed his arms. "I can still beat you in tennis."

"That was BEFORE!" Yuuta protested. "Besides my brother can beat you blindfolded!"

Ryoma's smile disappeared abruptly.

"It doesn't matter…" Yuuta looked up at the pink sky, and for the first time in many years, he found himself truly laughing from the bottom of his heart. "It doesn't hurt that much anymore."

"Me too…" Ryoma followed his gaze.

"Its great isnt it?" Yuuta closed his eyes. "To realize that you're not alone…"

"It's okay." Ryoma grinned.

* * *

To be continued... :P

Um...Sorry if you were expecting big conversation between them. I just thought they they werent really the types to pour out their emotions (to others).

Next chapter is the aftermaths.

Remember to review (and to correct me if i made any mistakes). Please ;)


	4. Yuuta, Ryoma, End

Living in a Shadow

Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis.

Summary: Ryoma and Yuuta find out that they have more in common then they would ever have imagined. [Ryoma and Yuuta friendship

Note: This is the last chapter! Hope you enjoy. (Bleh. Took longer than I thought. I am a HORRIBLE person for not updating for so long)

* * *

Part eight. Aftermath - Yuuta

Yuuta shut the door gently. He dumped his bag on the floor then removed his shoes.

He stepped into the hall, and then saw that the kitchen light was on. He frowned. "Aniki?"

Shusuke walked out of the kitchen, his hands jammed in the pockets of Yumiko's flowery pink apron. "Yuuta! You're back!" he smiled. "It's a bit early but I made breakfast!"

Yuuta coughed guiltily. "You did…?"

Shusuke guided him to the dining room. Yuuta raised his eyebrows as he saw pancakes, muffins, eggs, bacon, baked beans, sausages, toast, sandwiches and a large jug of steaming, suspiciously green liquid laid out on the table.

"…thanks." He muttered. He knew his brother wasn't very good at handling pans or knives. He eyed the garbage bin; it was overflowing with burnt eggs, toast and other unrecognizable things.

Then he spotted the first-aid kit sticking out from the cabinet. "What's that doing out?"

Shusuke shrugged.

"Aniki…" Yuuta growled.

He saw his brother push his hand deeper into the pockets. Yuuta swiftly grabbed his wrist and pulled them out; to reveal a series of burns and small cuts, bandaged very scruffily.

Shusuke smiled weakly. "I never was good with ovens and stuff...or first aid."

Yuuta pulled up a chair and gestured at it. "Sit down."

Shusuke obeyed. He watched his little brother carefully tending to his injuries, neatly cleaning and bandaging.

"…I'm sorry."

Yuuta stopped and sighed. "_I'm _sorry."

Shusuke understood. "You don't have to be. It's not your fault. It-"

"We should start eating now. The food's going to get cold." Yuuta interrupted.

"Yeah…"

Shusuke twiddled his thumbs nervously as Yuuta bit into sandwich.

"How is it?" He asked anxiously.

"It's cold, and the bread's tasteless. It's pretty much all too spicy for some reason…"

Yuuta opened the sandwich and grimaced. "Aniki, you're not supposed to put wasabi in this sort of thing."

Shusuke sighed. "You don't have to eat it-"

"But." Yuuta continued. "Since you made it for me, it's not bad."

"Thank you Yuuta."

Then Shusuke started to sip a cup of…something.

"What's that?" Yuuta asked.

"Royal Inui Juice. Wanna try?"

"…sure."

* * *

Part nine. Aftermath – Ryoma

"Where have you been?" Rinko Echizen confronted her son as he walked through the door.

"Out…" Ryoma mumbled. "Why are you guys awake? It's so early…"

"We were worried Ryoma-san!" Nanako said. "Especially your father!"

"No I wasn't!" Nanjiro protested.

"When he found that you weren't in your bed, he went woke us all up!" She continued.

Ryoma eyed his dad warily. "Right…." He said.

"Hn." Nanjiro snorted. "The ONLY reason I was upset was because I wanted to play a tennis match and he DITCHED me."

"…?" Ryoma shrugged. "Whatever."

"And so," he announced. "You owe me a game. Get your racquet and meet me outside shounen."

Ryoma began to walk towards the staircase.

"Hey!" Nanjiro barked. "Where are you going?"

"…racquet."

"Why? You have one right here don't you?" Nanjiro picked up Ryoma's tennis bag.

"Broken." Ryoma said stubbornly.

"Hmp." Nanjiro held it up. "You can't even take care of a racquet! Call yourself a tennis player huh?"

Ryoma glared at his father. "I am. And I'm better than you."

"Well chill." Nanjiro examined the racquet closely. "I could take you to the repair shop after school…"

Ryoma turned away and smiled. "Repair shop…" he mumbled under his breath.

"What did you say?"

"No way! I don't want to be seen with an old pervert like you!" Ryoma said coolly. He snatched his bag and walked away.

"WHA?!? YOU UNGRATEFUL-"

Ryoma slammed the bedroom door shut and flung himself on his bed.

"I am a tennis player. And I WILL be better than you. Someday…"

"Meow…."

* * *

END

Review please. And stuff :)


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